Vehicle-top.



No. 747,356. v PATENTED DEG. 22,1903.

A. BANGROFT. VEHICLE TOP.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 4, 1903.

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No. 747,856. v PATENTED DEC. 22, 1903. A.- BANGROFT.

VEHICLE TOP.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 4, 1903. no MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR BANOROFT, OF WATERPORT, NEW YORK.

VEHICLE-TOP.

SPEOIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 747,356, dated December 22, 1903.

Application filed September 4, 1903. Serial No. 171,977. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR BANCROFT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waterport, in the county of Orleans and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Tops, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in vehicle-tops; and its object is to provide curtains therefor of novel construction which can be raised or lowered without the necessity of the occupant of the vehicle leaving the same.

A further object is to provide acurtain of simple and inexpensive construction which when not in use is held within a casing, whereby it is protected from moisture and dust.

Another object is to employ means for supporting the side curtains and their casings in position at the sides of a vehicle-top and at the same time permit them to be readily detached and placed at the back of the to when not in use.

' With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully de scribed and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, showing the preferred form of my invention, and in which Figure l is a side elevation of a vehicletop, the upper portion thereof being broken away to show the casing of one of the side curtains, said curtain being fastened in lowered position. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section through the curtain and its casing. Fig. 3 is a view showing in dotted lines a rear elevation of a vehicle-top and in full lines the positions occupied by the casings of the side and rear curtains when not in use. Fig. 4 is an elevation of a side curtain detached and partly open, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a catch used in connection with each curtain.

Referring to the figures by numerals of reference, 1 is a vehicle-top, which is supported by bows 2, and the end bows are provided adjacent their upper ends with brackets for supporting shafts 3, extending through drums 4. Inclosing each of these shafts is a coiled spring 5, which is fastened at its opposite ends to the shaft and the drum, respectively, and to the drum is fastened one edge of a curtain 6 of any suitable shape and provided at its free edge with a hook 7 or other securing means. A casing 8, preferably cylindrical in form, is loosely supported at its ends upon the shaft 3 and is provided with a longitudinally-extending slot 9, in which the curtain 6 is slidably mounted. A rod 10 is secured to the free edge of the curtain and is of such width as to prevent the curtain from passing into the casing 8 through the slot 9. One of the brackets of each shaft 3 is in the form of an eye 11, while and the other end of the bell-crank lever 15.'

Brackets l1 and 12 are also arranged at the upper ends of the rear bows 2 for the purpose of supporting in position a curtain and its casing adapted to close the back of the vehicletop. Similar brackets are also arranged adjacent these last-mentioned brackets for .the purpose of holding the side curtains in position at the back of the vehicle-top when the same are not in use at the sides of said top. When it is desired to use the curtains, the two side curtains are removed from the back of the top by depressing the levers 15 of the brackets, so as to remove the head 16 from the arms 13. The shaft-s 3 of the said curtains can then be withdrawn from the brackets 11 and 12 and placed in position within the brackets at the upper ends of the side bows of the vehicle-top. The spring 5 is normally sufficiently-tensioned to hold the rod 10 in contact with the casing 8. As this casing is located inside the vehicle-top, it is obvious that the person occupying the seat within the vehicle. can readily grasp the hook 7 of each curtain and draw the same downward, so as to rotate the drum 4 on the shaft 3 and bring said hook into engagement with a rod 18 adjacent the bottom of the seat or any other suitable device provided for that purpose. As soon as the hooks are disengaged from the rod 18 the tension-springs 5 will return the curtains to their normal positions within the casings 8. By providing ourtains of the character herein described and arranging them upon the inside of the Vehicle-top it is unnecessary for a person in raising or lowering the curtain to leave the seat covered by said top. When it is desired to collapse the top, it is merely necessary to remove the side curtains 6 and place them at the rear of the vehicle-top, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

In the foregoing description I have shown the preferred form of my invention; but I do not limit myself thereto, as I am aware that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages thereof, and I therefore reserve the right to make such changes and alterations as may fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a vehicle-top having supports, a bracket secured to one of the supports, a bell-crank lever fulcru med in the bracket, and an arm normally contacted by the lever; of a. fixed shaft detachably supported by the bracket between the lever and the arm thereof, a drum revolnbly mounted upon the shaft, a coiled spring inclosed between the drum and shaft and secured at 0pposite ends thereto respectively, a casing inclosing the drum and having a longitudinallyextending slot therein, a curtain secured to and normally wound upon the drum, said curtain being inclosed by the casing and slidably mounted within the slot thereof, a rod upon the free end of the curtain for limiting its movement in one direction, and securing means extending from the rod.

2. The combination with a vehicle-top having supports and brackets secured to the inner faces of the supports adjacent their upper ends; of a fixed shaft detachably supported by the brackets, a drum revolubly mounted upon the shaft, a coiled spring inclosed between the drum and shaft and secured at opposite ends thereto respectively, a casing inclosing the drum, a curtain secured to, and normally wound upon, the drum, said curtain being inclosed by the casing and adapted to project therefrom, and means for limiting the movement of the curtain into the casing.

3. The combination with a vehicle-top having supports, and brackets secured to the su pports; of fixed shafts detachably secured to the bracket-s and extending across the sides and rear of the vehicle-top, acasing supported by each shaft, a drum revolubly mounted upon each shaft and within its casing, :1 ourtain secured to the drum and adapted to be wound thereon, and acoiled spring interposed between the drum and shaft and secured at opposite ends thereto respectively, the side shafts and the parts connected thereto being adapted to be detachably secured at the rear of the vehicle-top.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR BANOROFT.

Witnesses:

W. H. ROBINSON, E. G. GRINNELL. 

